Pilecki Institute short-term research grant - Instytut Pileckiego

We are looking for researchers worldwide, representing disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to carry out their own research projects and who will contribute with their approaches, perspectives and new ideas.

OBJECTIVE

The Pilecki Institute Short-Term Research Grant is tailored specifically for young scholars (PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers) seeking an opportunity to carry out research in Poland aimed towards completing their dissertation or scientific paper in one of the following research areas:

• Totalitarian systems and ideologies in the 20th century and their consequences.
• The German and Soviet occupations of Central and Eastern Europe – legal, social, philosophical and historical aspects.
• Sovereignty, human rights, genocide and international law in the wake of the catastrophe of World War II.
• Memory and memorialization of World War II.
• Nationalism and political community in 20th-century Europe.
• Personal experiences of war and totalitarianism in Europe.
• Enslaved societies – resistance and strategies of survival in 20th-century Europe.

Preference will be given to projects in some way connected to Polish studies or comparative studies of other Central and Eastern European countries.

The list of research areas is not definitive, and new ideas are welcomed.

Grant recipients will be invited to spend one month in 2020 (selected by the candidate) at the Pilecki Institute in Warsaw; it may be possible to extend this time period depending on the project and circumstances.

CONDITIONS

Grant holders will receive an allowance of EUR 2000 to cover accommodation and living expenses in Warsaw and health insurance. Travel expenses for flying in/out as well as additional travel expenditures for project-related research trips will be covered by the Pilecki Institute. The Pilecki Institute will provide office space, in-house research and administrative facilities, internet access, and also other services. Grant recipients will be expected to participate in the Institute’s intellectual life and to present their research project at one of the Institute’s seminars.

ELIGIBILITY

A successful candidate for the grant:

• must currently be pursuing their doctoral degree at the dissertation stage or have recently obtained a PhD from an academic institution outside Poland in one of the academic disciplines of the humanities and social sciences (especially modern history, political science, international relations, sociology, international law studies and political philosophy)

• must speak fluent English (C1 and above)

APPLICATION

Candidates shall submit their applications to the following email address: scholarships@instytutpileckiego.pl.

All application documents must be submitted in English. All applicants will be notified when their applications have been received.

A complete application should contain:

• an application form (you'll find the attachment below) that comprises:
  • an academic curriculum vitae
  • a research project proposal, including research questions/problems, the aims of the project, research methods, the expected results and an explanation of the importance of the research to its area of study (up to 1,000 words)
  • list of publications (if applicable)
  • a schedule for the research work to be done in Poland and - if necessary – including a list of archives or other institutions to be consulted
  • a letter of recommendation from the applicant's academic supervisor or other scholars familiar with the applicant’s research/work. The reference letter should be sent directly by the referee from his/her official address to the following email address: scholarships@instytutpileckiego.pl
  • a Personal Data Protection statement (view the attached file)

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications will be reviewed by a board of experts appointed by the Institute. Short-listed candidates will be invited to online interviews. Candidates will be contacted individually to schedule the interview.

The list of successful candidates will be announced by the end of March 2020.

DEADLINE: Standing offer until March 1, 2020.

For further inquiry, please contact us at scholarships@instytutpileckiego.pl.

About the Institute

The Pilecki Institute examines 20th-century history with a special focus on totalitarian ideologies and their implementation in Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries. The Institute’s mission is to reinvigorate international scholarly discussion on the German and Soviet occupation of Central and Eastern Europe by initiating interdisciplinary and comparative research and scholarship projects, and also by offering grant programs aimed at early-stage, junior, and senior scholars.

The Center for Totalitarian Studies at the Institute gathers researchers who specialize in political science, international relations, sociology, international law, history and Jewish studies. This unique milieu of scholars both initiates and participates in interdisciplinary research projects devoted to totalitarianism and the history of Poland and Central and Eastern Europe in the 20th century. Their studies are concerned primarily with World War II, its consequences, and the cultivation of memory by the second and third postwar generations. They are supported as well by the Institute's team of archival and bibliographic experts.